Under The Crimson Moonlight
by Hypnotized By Fate
Summary: A year had passed since the fight against 'Deepground' ended. Vincent Valentine visits 7th Heaven with important news he must share with Cloud, but what he found once he arrived at the bar was a lonely, broken spirit & her heartbreaking story. Tifa & Vincent grew closer, their feelings for each other slowly began to develop as they face new challenges & old enemies.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** After watching Advent Children, reading many stories on fanfic here, researching on 'finalfantasy wikia' & getting a good sense/few idea's from the games, I decided to try & write a story focusing on the pairing: Tifa & Vincent.

I also would really like to try my best to capture Tifa's strong, fiery personality/spirit; a lot of the stories I've come across on here, I've felt as though (the stories themselves are amazing) it didn't quite show enough of her strength- So, I suppose you can say that in this story, this is how I see Tifa as.

Please comment/review.

This story will take place after AC, Crisis Core & Dirge of Cerberus. A few things will obviously stray from the movies & games- its intentional.

_**WARNING: Story is rated M for Violence, language & for future, graphic sexual content.**_

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><p><strong>DISCLAIMERS: I do not own anything Final Fantasy, nor any of it's characters.<strong>

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><p><span><em><strong>CHAPTER 1:<strong>_

_A year had passed since the fight against 'Deepground' had come to an end; the world was at peace once again, everyone continued on with their lives with the help of Rufus, Reeve and the turks, who worked alongside with Shelke in rebuilding the cities and keeping a watchful eye out in hopes of keeping the world safe once and for all. As for AVALANCHE members, after a big celebration, everyone went their own paths; Yuffie had returned to Wutai, Barrett took Marlene with him back to Corel, Cid and Shera had returned to Rocket town and Nanaki returned to Cosmo Canyon..._

_As for Vincent Valentine? _

_After his fight against Omega, lets just say he had been more... **Strange** than usual.. Yet... He somehow seemed much more at ease.. Vincent remained silent throughout the celebration, but we knew it was best not to ask him what had happened._

_Vincent had never mentioned where he would go; he had refused my offer for him to stay with us at the bar- I feared that he might return to the Shinra mansion and go crawling right back into that dreaded coffin.._

_As for Cloud and myself? We returned to Seventh Heaven, now located in Edge, along with Denzel... _

_Unfortunately, things between Cloud and I began to slowly crumble apart within that year.. He grew distant, never returning our calls, always out on the road whether its due to work or simply because he "needed time to clear his mind"...  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>"...T...fa..."<em>

_"...f...ah..."_

**"TIFA!"**

The young boy yelled out, tugging on the bar hostess' arm.

The brunette gasped, snapping back from her deep thoughts, "What is it, Denzel?"

The bar was closed, her customers all had left a while ago, leaving her to clean. She found cleaning to be of great help in distracting her from her own thoughts and worries, but sometimes, her mind still wandered off, asking the same questions over; Was he okay? Why was he growing so distant and cold towards her? Why does Cloud refuse to open up and talk to her? After all, they _are_ together... Right?

"Tifa? Did you hear what I said?" Denzel tilted his head, examining the expression on her face carefully, "Are you thinking about Cloud, again?"

She sighed before setting down the towel that was in her hand. Tifa took in a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself before turning her attention to the boy. She forced a smile towards her adopted son, "Yes.. I am worried about Cloud, but I'll be fine."

He knitted his brows together, sensing the sad tone in her voice, "Tifa.. Cloud is always gone! Why is he doing this again!? Doesn't... He like us anymore?"

"Denzel!" Tifa pressed her lips together into a fine line, "That's enough.."

"Its true..." He lowered his head, "Cloud... H-he always leaves without letting us know... And... He makes you so sad.."

The barmaid was surprised by the boy's words and how observant he had been about the whole situation - despite his age. He was right, Cloud never wanted to sit down and talked things out with her, no matter how hard she tried. It killed her even more to know that Denzel is affected by all of this as well.

She raised a pale hand to brush back a few, stray strands of her nearly-black hair. Slowly, she crouched down in front of Denzel and hugged him tightly. "Cloud.. Just needs time to figure things out.. I'll be fine, I promise," She whispered, "But for now, you should get back to bed, I'll be upstairs in a few minutes with your glass of water, okay?" Without a word, he nodded and made his way back upstairs to his room.

Tifa swiftly finished wiping down the last table in her bar before returning to the back of the counter, grabbing a cup of water that the boy had requested.

She froze when she felt her eyes began to water.

The fighter was always worried about Cloud, but he had been ignoring her more than ever. For him to not even look at her in the eyes and tell her _why_ he's treating her this way, made her angry. He would push himself past her, then takes off on fenrir without a word.

"Look at yourself, Tifa.." She mumbled to herself, "What happened to the old you? You would never let _anyone_ put you down like this.. Where's your spirit..?" Tifa sighed, drying her eyes before ascending the stairs to Denzel's room.

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><p>The night was quiet and calm, unusual for a place like Edge. The cool, strong winds blew against his dark, long ebony hair and crimson cloak. Standing there was a tall, pale man, his golden gauntlet and the sabatons on his boots reflected beneath the moonlight.<p>

Slowly lifting his gaze, he stared at the sign up ahead.

_Seventh Heaven._

He continued walking, approaching the bar.

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><p>Tifa had just tucked Denzel into bed. Grabbing the empty cup, she slowly closed his bedroom door behind her as she left, making her way back down the stairs.<p>

The sound of a firm knock on the front door forced the maiden to raise an eyebrow in question as to who could be here at such an ungodly hour. The bar had been closed a few hours ago, it couldn't possibly be a customer. If it was some punk trying to mess with her or even had the nerves to try and _rob_ her, she wouldn't have any problems defending herself and teaching them a lesson they'll never forget.

Maybe it was someone who needed help? Someone who was injured?

The knocking came again.

Setting the empty cup down in the sink, she cautiously approached the door and folded her arms in front of her chest, "We're closed," She said firmly.

"Tifa?... Its me.."

"...Vin... Vincent..?" Tifa gasped, reaching over to unlock the door, pulling it slightly open; she tilted her head to the side, stealing a quick glance of the gunslinger.

"Vincent!" She pulled the door back further and stepped aside, allowing him entrance.

He nodded and made his way past her, walking towards the center of the room. Looking around, Vincent noticed how everything had remained the same since the last time he was here.

"Wow, Its great to see you again, Vincent.." Tifa spoke softly, shutting and locking the door before turning her attention to the man. She smiled faintly, "How have you been? Is everything alright?"

"I've been... better.."

It was then, when his eyes had found its way back to her, that he noticed something was different about Tifa - something was off, but he decided it would be best not to ask her, not right now, "I was hoping to find Cloud here."

Tifa lowered her head.

Vincent confirmed his previous suspicions. Judging by her facial expression and body language, there was something definitely wrong here. It had been a year since he had last seen her and the rest of the AVALANCHE members, he rarely kept in contact, but that was to be expected from someone like himself. He continued to eye her intently, noting how she seemed to have gotten thinner, her eyes no longer carried the fire they once had, her fiery aura and personality had vanished.

But why?

"Cloud.. Has been out for the past couple weeks.." She did her best to conceal the sadness in her tone, avoiding the gunslinger's gaze, "I'm not sure when he'll return, he hasn't answered any of my calls.."

"I see..." He took a few steps closer to her, "...Care to talk about it?"

Tifa wasn't the slightest bit shocked that Vincent would be able to tell if something was wrong. The man's senses had been enhanced by all the Mako treatments he received during the awful days of being Hojo's experiment. He would somehow just _know_ if she was lying or hiding something, so she found it useless to even try anymore. As much as she didn't want to burden him with her problems, he would eventually, somehow, pry the answers out of her.

Her lips pulled into an awry smile before she turned towards the counter, pulling down two of the bar stools and seating herself, gesturing for Vincent to take the seat next to her.

Without a single word, he did.

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on top of the counter, her hands cupping her face. Tifa took in a deep breath, and before she knew it, the barmaid began pouring everything out to him. Hot tears streamed down the side of her face as she opened up, telling the gunslinger what had happened between her and Cloud after the fight against 'Deepground'.

Vincent had chose to remain silent until she finished. He listened carefully to every words, nodding every now and then in understanding. When Tifa finished, she let out an audible sigh as her tensed body had begun to relax a little, feeling a sense of relief after being able to vent to him about what had been eating away at her mind and emotions for the past year.A grim smile tugged on the side of her lips then, she couldn't believe she was sitting next to the dangerous and mysterious, Vincent Valentine; explaining to him about her problems with the blonde swordsman.

Even though, Vincent always came off as a cold and dark person, she found that being around him was not as bad as she had once thought. During their time together on board the airship with the rest of the AVALANCHE members, Tifa would notice how he would stray from the group. The guys - especially Cid, would constantly poke and tease at the poor man - and it always made her upset to see that.

Tifa, being a compassionate and caring woman, pushed aside her fear and discomfort about Vincent and attempted to try to understand him a little more; she would spend a little time with him every so often, though, she knew he preferred to be alone. Vincent, was too much of a gentleman to walk away or tell her to leave.

After a while, the gunslinger didn't seem to mind her presence around him anymore. The fighter knew there _are_ still times when he honestly _did_ needed to be left alone with his thoughts - and so Tifa gave him his space, wishing not to push things to the point of ruining their developing friendship. As the years passed them by, Vincent and the martial artist had become close friends. Whenever the fighter had things on her mind, he was always there to listen and offer her his opinion or advice.

Deep down, the 'always stoic' Vincent Valentine, is a caring man with a good heart - he just doesn't show it.

"I... Don't know what to do," She wiped away the tears with the back of her hand. Not once, had she looked at the crimson-eyed man who sat beside her; she was too embarrassed, "I don't know how he feels about me anymore, Vincent.." _'Gods, he must think I'm pathetic right now..'_

The gunman had been watching her from the corner of his eyes the whole time she was venting to him. Tifa had been suffering because of Cloud, just as he, had once suffered when the woman he had loved, ripped out his heart and left him to fade within the shadows of the background while she ran into the arms of the mad scientist. She was a beautiful lady, bright and graceful, always believing in whatever she wanted too. Unfortunately, her obsession and love for science had gotten the better hold of her judgment. After his fight, Vincent had decided to visit Lucrecia's cave one last time to thank her before his departure. From there, he was finally able to sort out his thoughts as his nightmares no longer haunted him. Vincent found the strength he needed to leave all of that behind, and moved on with his life.

"Tifa," Vincent spoke in his usual deep, monotone voice. _'Here it goes..'_

"I know this is going to be difficult, but you have to move on.."

Tifa pushed away from the counter, "I..."

"If I am correct, you're miserable because of Cloud.. He _constantly_ refuses to listen to you and put in any effort to save the relationship," Vincent continued, "If you insist on continuing this... You _may_ be reduced down to nothing more but an empty shell... Or worse."

She sat there and thought deeply about his words. _'Vincent is right... He had suffered from a heartbreak before.. But he had gone through so much worse than what I'm currently going through at the moment..'_

Because of Cloud, she had not only lost her strong, fighting spirit, but also sleep, her appetite and her hopes and dream of being a happy family. Tifa felt her eyes begin to water, tears threatening to fall again at any given moment. What ever happened to the boy she grew up with back in Nibelheim? The one who had promised to protect her?

She mentally kicked herself.

As life goes on, people and things change - and she knew this. But, could she do it? Could she move on from Cloud? He was her childhood friend, her first crush, her first lov-

"Tifa..."

She shook her head, "Vincent.. I-I don't know if I can do it.. I... Don't know if I can..." Her voice trailed off.

Slowly, Vincent reached out to her with his left, golden clawed hand, resting it gently on her shoulder, "I.. Never said it will be an easy task, Tifa... But.. I will help you - If you would like my help, that is." _'What am I saying?'_

She tensed slightly at his touch.

It was rare for the gunslinger to display his feelings or concerns. For him to actually try and comfort her, made Tifa feel honored, but mostly surprised. The barmaid quickly relaxed, "Vincent..." she stood up and faced him, "I would really appreciate your help.. Thank you!" Without thinking, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, causing the man's body to stiffen from the contact.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" She pulled away, as if he was a large piece of hot coal. Tifa turned her head to the side, hoping the gunslinger didn't see the blush that stained her face.

The corner of his lips twitched slightly in amusement, he saw the hint of red that graced her cheeks but chose not to tease her about it this time. "Hmm.."

A moment of silence stretched between the two before the maiden gathered enough confidence to speak up again, "So..." She cleared her throat, "Earlier.. You said you were looking for Cloud, right? Is there something wrong?"

"..."

"...Vincent?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Reeve had contacted me a while back.." He began, tearing his gaze away from hers, "Apparently, there had been some reports of.. _strange activities_ going on recently."

"..Strange activities?"

Vincent gave a slight nod, staring at nothing in particular, "Rufus had sent the turks to do some _detective_ work.. What they had found, made them all worried."

"And... What exactly did they find?"

He sighed, knowing he might regret telling her this, "Signs that the remnants may somehow, still be alive - Loz and Yazoo, to be exact."

At those very words, Tifa felt as if her heart had dropped to her stomach.

After all these years, how could that be possible? Did the lifestream refused to keep their bodies? The thought of there being a _possibility_ that the monster, who had killed her father and burned down her home, could return _again_ made her stomach churned. She clenched her fists as her body shook. She was furious, scared, confused and shocked; she truly hoped, with all her heart that this was all false.

"Reeve and Rufus wanted Cloud and I to go meet with them soon, to discuss more of this..."

"I... I Understand.."

Vincent cursed himself mentally.

He knew this would cause Tifa to worry even more - knowing that Sephiroth might have a chance to return again. But, he couldn't find it in himself to lie to her, especially since she had always treated him so kindly and with much respect - unlike the others.

Then it dawned on him: perhaps, this is exactly what she needed to bring back her old self and give her the strength to move on from Cloud.

He can only hope he was right...

"I apologize, Tifa.. I did not wish to- You already have much to worry about," he pushed himself up to stand.

"Don't apologize, Vincent... I'm glad you told me," She glanced to the side before turning her attention back to the gunslinger, "So, how about it?"

"Hm..?" He raised his delicate eyebrows at her. _'How about what?'_

"I _clearly_ remember offering you a place to stay here with us, before everyone separated," Tifa placed her hands on her hips, giving him a small smile, "Stay here, at least until Cloud gets back. Besides, I can't just send you off into the night like this."

"Tifa, I-"

The martial artist held up a hand in protest, "Nope! You're not going to say no to me, Mr Valentine," She proceeded to fold her arms over her chest and grinned, "After all, you said you would help me, right?"

"..."

"...Vincent...?" She stared at him.

"...What about the boy?"

"Denzel wont mind, I'm sure of it." She nodded.

"And Cloud..?"

She shrugged her shoulders lightly, "This is _my_ bar, Vince... You also needed to talk with him, might as well wait here until he returns... He'll understand."

"...Very well, Miss Lockhart.. You win this round." He sighed in defeat.

Tifa's grin widened.

Having Vincent around would help keep her mind off Cloud, she would be more than happy to have someone, other than Denzel, with her to talk with - don't get her wrong, it's not that she doesn't like talking or spending time with the boy, but she needed another adult around - a friend from AVALANCHE.

"Great! I'll go get you a few things," She rushed past him and ascended the stairs to grab the pale gunman a pillow and blanket.

Vincent stood there quietly, watching, as she disappeared around the corner. He shut his eyes and sighed softly.

_'What have I got myself into?' _


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMERS: I do not own anything Final Fantasy, nor any of it's characters.**

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><p><span><em><strong>CHAPTER 2:<strong>_

Morning came as Tifa sat quietly on the edge of her bed, staring down at her clasped hands that rested on top of her thighs. She had not slept very well, but compared to the past couple of nights, it was better; her nightmares didn't come to haunt her this time. She showered and dressed in her usual leather, front-zip crop top over a short, white tank top, then slipped on her leather shorts and her sneakers. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, she examined her reflection closely, noticing the bags under her eyes and her once, toned, voluptuous figure was slowly fading.

Damn Cloud and his constant brooding...

She had been so blinded by her affections and desperate attempts to get his love and attention. He was her childhood friend who promised to protect her, he had told her a few years back that she was the reason why he joined SOLDIER - he wanted to impress her. The moment he spoke those words to her, made her heart flutter. Cloud _used_ to have feelings for her, but now? He still can't get over the death of his friends, nor his love for the Cetra. As much as she, too, loved the green-eyed ancient, Tifa couldn't help but to envy her. She was prim and proper - feminine for the most part, graceful and caring about everyone and everything. As for Tifa? She was a fighter who was fueled by the desire to hunt down Sephiroth for what he had done back at her hometown - for what he had taken away from her. The martial artist still had a heart, no doubt, but it was nothing compared to Aerith's.

The cetra also had Cloud's heart - she always will.

Sighing and wiping away the tears with the back of her hands, she clenched her fists and furrowed her eyebrows as she stared intensely at the woman that stood before her. The martial artist had put in so much effort in trying to save their relationship, but to no avail. Cloud would never return her feelings, he only cares and loved her as a friend. Knowing that, she told herself she can't continue on like this - especially now that the world may be in danger and possibly needs to be saved again, she needed to bring back the old Tifa.

If Yazoo and Loz _were_ alive, she had to prepare herself; there was no way in hell she would be able to fight them in her current condition - it would be like a lamb walking towards the lions. Tifa definitely still remembered her fight with Loz a few years ago, when Geo-stigma had become a problem. She and Marlene were waiting at Aerith's church, hoping for Cloud to return until _he_ appeared asking where 'mother' was.

Then they fought.

The barmaid had to admit, it had been a while since she faced such a strong opponent. Unfortunately, he had won that fight and knocked her unconscious.

She unclenched her fists and sighed, "You can do this.." Tifa whispered to her reflection. If the remnants have returned, she specifically wants to hunt down Loz in hopes of a rematch. _'This time, I **will** kick his ass!'  
><em>  
>"Tifa!"<p>

She gasped as her thoughts were forced aside and her motherly instincts immediately took over. Tifa kicked her bathroom door open and dashed out of her room, running downstairs to the bar. The brunette found Denzel, crouching behind a table far across the bar with what she can obviously tell was fear and confusion written all over his face. "Denzel? What's wro-"

Suddenly, he ran up and hugged her tightly. He then, pointed his finger to the pale man sitting on the sofa. Tifa turned her attention towards Vincent; he remained quiet, staring at the boy with his crimson red eyes, a little curious.

"Why is he here..?" Denzel whispered, not taking his eyes off Vincent.

She ruffled his hair and sighed, relieved to know he wasn't hurt or in any real danger, "Vincent came by last night after I tucked you into bed, he was looking for Cloud."

The boy looked up at her, then back at the gunman.

"I offered Vincent to stay with us until Cloud gets back," Tifa spoke to him softly, "It's okay, he wont hurt us. He's our friend, remember?"

Slowly, he released his grip on Tifa.

Denzel recalled the time when AVALANCHE came together to take down Bahamut SIN and the remnants; Vincent made an appearance to help them. Cloud fought against Sephiroth after Kadaj had successfully got his hands on the remains of Jenova and transformed into none other than the fearsome, Silver General himself. Thankfully, Sephiroth was defeated by Cloud's Omnislash and was sent back into the lifestream. Again.

Taking a slow, cautious step forward, he said, "I-I'm sorry, Sir. You just.. Surprised me."

Vincent cocked his head to the side, considering the boy, then gave him a curt nod. Pushing himself up onto his feet, the gunslinger stifled a yawn and turned to face Tifa.

He noticed her hair had grown quite a bit, about two inches just past her waist. The martial artist's hair were almost the same length as when he first met her and her group of friends back at the Shinra mansion. Ah, yes; he remembered seeing her for the first time. Tifa wore a short, white crop top and the leather mini skirt - how she managed to travel and fight in such tiny clothing's, was beyond him. Tifa is a beautiful woman nonetheless, he would only be lying to himself if he said or thought otherwise. She had a strong spirit and a heart of gold; Tifa was raw, wild and optimistic - she deserved so much more than what she's currently going through.

Vincent was already fully dressed, Tifa noted. It made her wonder if he had even slept at all last night? Perhaps he got up very early?

"Denzel, why don't you take a seat while I prepare some breakfast for the three of us?"

The boy nodded and walked towards the counter, pulling down three of the stools before seating himself. Apparently, Denzel seemed curious about Vincent as he constantly stole a quick glance at the gunslinger every so often.

Tifa turned her attention back to the gunslinger, "Good morning, Vincent. How did you sleep?"

"..."

"...Vincent?"

"Hmm?"

"..Oh, Vincent.. You really haven't changed much at all!" She chuckled, shaking her head. Of course, she didn't expect him to answer her - at least, not right away. For the gunslinger to remain silent or give her a short, curt answer was something she had gotten used too. He usually kept to himself, not speaking up unless he had something important to say.

The corners of his lips twitched upward, "Is that a good or bad thing, Miss Lockhart?"

She pressed her lips into a fine line and folded her arms across her chest, "Well.. I mean.. After the whole thing with Deepground, you disappeared for a while.. Then we found you in that cave.."

Vincent kept his eyes fixed onto her large, brown-ish wine colored orbs, urging her to continue.

"Then you disappeared again - I was really worried about you, too... But, now that you're here," She gave him a warm smile, "I can tell, you have changed somehow... Yet you've also remained the same ole' Vincent Valentine - Mister tall, dark and mysterious. You just... Seem to be more at ease now.. And that makes me happy."

Thanking the Gods for his cloak which covered the lower half of his face, he was able to hide that small smile as he tore his eyes away from her to stare out the windows. She was right, he no longer blamed himself for what happened to Lucrecia - Everything that happened in the past was because of Hojo, not him.

After AVALANCHE had successfully saved the world again, Vincent learned to accept the fact that he must forgive himself and find the strength to move on, because the world is always changing and time waited for no one. He must look forward to his future, whatever it may hold.

He hoped to, one day, truly find peace and happiness in this world.

Taking in a long, steady breath, he turned to face Tifa, "... Is there something wrong?" He raised his eyebrows. She was staring so intensely at him, "Are you attempting to bore holes in my face?" The gunslinger mused.

Shaking her head again, Tifa answered, "No! Of course not. I apologize... It's just.. I've... Missed you."

"Tifa..?"

Both turned to face Denzel.

"When can we-.." His voice trailed off when his eyes met with Vincent's crimson orbs.

A long pause of awkward silence filled the bar as neither spoke, but simply stared at each other with a questioning, amused expression.

"Do I.. Frighten you?" Vincent decided to be the first to break the silence.

His eyes widened, looking very much like a deer in headlights, "No! Y-Your so, I mean..." Denzel lowered his head, "I just thought you looked.. I don't know.. Kinda..."

"I look kind of like what?"

"..Just thought you looked kinda... Well, kinda _cool_." He mumbled.

Vincent was silent.

He was a little surprised at Denzel's comment. Ever since he left his coffin, no one had ever told him he looked _'cool_' or complimented him in any ways - unless they were sarcastic, like Cid. Then again, there was Tifa, but she knew he doesn't take compliments well. She chose her words wisely before speaking them and that made him felt slightly more at ease when he was around her; she knew what to say without making him angry or uncomfortable. Now, to be called _'cool'_? He would question that - He still thinks of himself as a hideous monster, even after Chaos and the other demons had finally been purged from his body.

"You look sorta scary too.. But its a _cool_ type of scary." The boy nodded.

Lifting a hand to cover the wide grin on her face, Tifa began to laugh whole-heartedly.

It had been such a long time since she felt like this; like she was _alive_. Perhaps having Vincent Valentine around wont be so bad after all. At first, she was worried he might become so irritated with her, Denzel and the atmosphere of a lively bar that he would leave without a warning.

Vincent felt a small bit of relief to finally see a genuine smile on her face, to hear her laughing. Now there, is the Tifa Lockhart he remembers and had so much admired.

"Tifa? When can we go to the Gold Saucer?" asked Denzel.

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><p>Using the Ropeway, Tifa and Vincent sat patiently inside the cable car while Denzel was too busy staring out the window. He was excited - no doubt, but she had to keep reminding the boy to sit still or not move around so much while they are still very high off the ground.<p>

Tifa was proud she had managed to convince the gunslinger to join her and Denzel - it wasn't easy, of course. She had promised Denzel for quite some time now, that once Cloud returned home and had time to spend with them as a family, they would come and stay here for the weekend - that time never came. Sighing mentally, she decided to keep to her promise, even if Cloud couldn't join them. Denzel didn't seem to mind, though she knew he still misses the spiky-haired blonde.

Staring at Denzel, Tifa smiled faintly. She still found it adorable he thought Vincent was 'cool', the look on Vincent's face when Denzel told him that, was priceless - he was definitely surprised. _'Vincent IS pretty cool, isn't he?'_ She giggled inwardly. Tifa was always grateful to have Vincent around; and for him to actually accompany her at Gold Saucer, was unbelievable; It will be interesting, to say the least, to see how he reacts to all the fancy, colorful lights, the crowd of people and all the games.

"We're almost there, I can almost see it!" Denzel exclaimed.

Vincent had seated himself across from the two. His arms were folded over his chest as he thought quietly to himself, wondering why he let the barmaid win so easily in convincing him to come here - Oh, that's right, because she had begged him to come after he told her she deserved a break, and it would be a great idea for her to go and have fun with Denzel.

He mentally kicked himself.

Vincent didn't planned on coming, but Tifa would not leave until he agreed. It would be a great way for them to catch up, she said. We all needed a break, to _'loosen up'_, she said. He huffed before his eyes eventually found its way to Tifa's smiling face.

_'She seems content,' _He thought,_ 'What can possibly go wrong, Valentine? We will only be here for two days..'  
><em>  
>Before the three left Edge, Tifa left a note in Cloud's office, just in case if he returned while they were gone. She couldn't stop smiling when they've locked the doors to the bar and took off. Vincent had offered to watch the bar for her, but she refused. She couldn't just leave Vincent there, it would make her feel awful to leave the gunslinger while she and Denzel went out. <em>'Vincent deserves to have a break, too - Heck, if Vincent Valentine can survive all the things we went through during our AVALANCHE days, then he should be able to survive two days at Gold Saucer!'<em>

"Vincent?" Tifa turned to look at him, noticing he had been staring at her.

"Hm?"

She inhaled slowly, gathering the courage to speak and ask him a question that had long, been bugging her since this morning.

"I was wondering... When we return to Edge," she clasped her hands in front of her and furrowed her eyebrows before she continued, "Would you... Help me with my training? Will you be my sparring partner?" Tifa had thought about starting up her training again - but her mind and emotions, however, were currently not in the right places.

She needed this; a break from the bar, from Cloud and to stretch her legs - to clear her mind and focus on the possible issues that may become a threat to the world. Training with Vincent will also provide her with a new challenge, and she could learn a lot from the gunslinger.

Tifa knew, if she was to go up against the enemies this time around, she needed to get stronger.

Vincent blinked a few times, then parted his lips to speak, "I... Would be honored to help you with your training," he eyed her face, as if searching for something, "Keep in mind though, Miss Lockhart - I will not go easy on you." The corner of his lips turned upward into a smirk.

"Your on, Valentine! I'll squash you." She grinned sheepishly.

"Tifa, look! I see it!" Denzel shouted in joy, "Gold Saucer!"

"Oh, we're here already?" She tilted her head back to look out the window.

Up ahead, with all its glorious flashing lights, was Gold Saucer.

Gazing out the window behind him, Vincent frowned at the sight of the large structures, colorful buildings and flashing lights. Sighing softly, he turned to look back at the two. Denzel, was trying his best not to jump around in his seat. Tifa laughed as the boy waved his arms around animatedly, telling her his plans about what he would do first, where he would go and all the gold points and prizes he would win. Vincent was pleased to see this, perhaps, this will go better than what he originally had assumed.

'_That's it, Tifa..'_ Vincent thought,_ 're-wake your fighting spirit...'  
><em>


	3. Chapter 3

_**DISCLAIMERS: I do not own anything Final Fantasy, nor any of it's characters.  
><strong>_

* * *

><p><strong><span><em>CHAPTER 3:<br>_**  
>When the three had finally stepped out of the cable car, they all took in their surroundings.<p>

The amusement park was full of colorful, fun shaped buildings and plenty of flashy lights; Denzel and Tifa grinned with excitement. Vincent on the other hand, cringed inwardly - He was outside of his comfort zone.

The gunslinger had paid for their passes at the entrance, after much protest from Tifa. She huffed but thanked him anyways as they walked down the hallway, towards the terminal floor.

"Alright, first things first; lets go check into our rooms!" Tifa said.

Vincent followed the two, walking in a leisurely manner while carrying their bags full of items in which they had packed for the weekend. He, himself, did not bring much for this trip, just a few change of clothes, his guns and his PHS. What else would he need? They were only here for two days, after all.

Once inside the Ghost Inn's lobby, Tifa headed towards the front counter to check in, leaving the boy and the pale gunman to sit tight until she returned. Denzel sat quietly beside Vincent, glancing over at the man as they both waited patiently. Noticing a pair of curious eyes fixated on him, Vincent decided to speak up.

"Can I help you?" He asked, glancing at the boy whose eyes widened then.

Denzel swiftly turned to look over his shoulder, noticing Tifa was still talking with the clerk; he smiled, pleased to see that she wasn't nearby to hear his questions. Turning back to the gunslinger, Denzel leaned towards Vincent before speaking softly, "Do you like Tifa..?" He asked.

"..."

The ex-Turk shifted slightly in his seat. The boy was serious when he asked that question, Vincent could tell by the look on his face as he waited for an answer. Closing his eyes, the man sighed inwardly before replying, "We... Are only friends."

Denzel pulled his lips into a fine line, considering the man for a brief moment before pushing forward with his questions, "So... You _only_ like her as a friend?"

Vincent shifted around again, crossing his arms. How he wished, at this very moment he could disappear, "Do you wish for me to see her as more than a friend?" He decided to avoid answering the boy directly.

Tilting his head to the side, the boy stared at him with knitted brows. "I... Don't know... Tifa seems happy whenever she's around you.."

"We're all checked in!" The barmaid chimed, approaching the two. "Here's the key to your room, Vince. Your actually just down the hall from us." She handed him the key to his room.

Vincent nodded and took the key, then proceeded to follow the fighter and Denzel as they headed to their rooms.

Looking around, he saw the decorations inside the hotel was anything, but amusing - Though, he cant complain considering it was far better than what he had seen once they arrived at Golden Saucer. Everything about Ghost Square seemed to be based off Halloween; workers dressed up as Dracula, zombies, or some other creatures while plastic bats, tombstones, spiders and odd looking ghouls were seen throughout.

Tifa stopped and turned to face a door, which Vincent would assume must have been her room. Unlocking the door, she stepped inside, followed by Denzel and himself. While setting down their bags, he noticed two beds towards the right, a small window up ahead along with another door on the left, which he was sure was the restroom.

"Thanks for carrying our bags," she smiled at the man, "Is something wrong?" Tifa asked, noticing how he was looking around.

"It's... Been so long, since we came here.." He mumbled, "Everything is still the same."

"You're right.. It has been a while..." She nodded in agreement, also taking a good look at the room while her hands were clasped behind her back, "To think they would have changed a few things around here by now."

Denzel sat quietly on one of the beds, observing the two; he smiled to himself. The boy noticed ever since Vincent appeared, Tifa was more lively and cheerful. She had been so listless over the year because of Cloud, now that the gunslinger was here, he was happy to see Tifa smiling again. Sure, Cloud will always be his hero, but Tifa needed a hero of her own.

"Tifa? Can we go play some games?"

Tearing her brownish-wine colored eyes away from the ex-Turk, she nodded to the boy, "You bet! Wonder Square?"

Denzel grinned, "Wonder Square!"

* * *

><p>Vincent quirked an eyebrow upon entering the game room.<p>

More colorful, flashing lights, a crowd of people, loud obnoxious noises and laughter, the perky colors - Yep, he was _definitely_ outside his comfort zone. Turning his attention away from the scene in front of him, Vincent observed the boy who practically squealed in delight when Tifa handed him a generous amount of Gils. Denzel hugged and thanked her before running off to the next room.

"Vincent?" Tifa looked up at him.

"Hmm.."

"Lets play a few games!" She smiled.

"Tifa... I dont-"

"Oh, come on Vincent," Tifa placed her hands on her hips and scanned the room, "At least play one or two games while we're here, you deserve to have a little fun too, you know."

He sighed softly.

The martial artist soon caught a glimpse of a few women in the room eyeing Vincent with much interest. Rolling her eyes, she chuckled softly; can she really blame them? Vincent is extremely handsome after all, she admitted - beautiful, even. How lucky she is indeed, to be here with the mysterious, Vincent Valentine.

Slowly, Tifa reached out a slender arm and grabbed his red cloak, tugging on it playfully, "Well, how about it, Mr Valentine?"

"..."

She will take his silence as a 'yes'.

An hour had passed, the three continued playing a few more games - Vincent, of course, preferred to stand and watch after playing 'Super Dunk' with Tifa only once. The crowd of people had already begun exiting the area, leaving only Tifa, Vincent and Denzel - whom, the barmaid went to go check up on and was amused to see how absorbed the boy was while playing 'Mog house' in the next room.

When she returned, Tifa was relieved to see the pale gunman was still there. For a second, she was worried he might decide to disappear, but there he was: Standing and staring at the games, probably contemplating whether he should play or not - most likely not, she thought dryly. Tifa shook her head softly and walked over to 'Super Dunk', deciding she wanted to shoot a few more hoops again while Vincent, who stood behind her, continued staring at the virtual arm-wresting game.

_'I wonder what he's thinking...'_ She stared down at the basketball in her hands, "Vincent?"

"Hm.." He tilted his head back slightly, not moving from his spot.

"Why don't you _play_ the game?" She asked, a playful tone in her voice.

"..."

He didn't even bother to answer her simple question, nor did he turned to look at her. Annoyed and a little hurt, Tifa opened her mouth to speak again, but then decided against it as she pressed her lips shut.

Soon, an idea popped into her mind.

Turning around, she smirked before pulling the basketball back in one hand, "Vincent.. Catch!" Gathering her energy, she threw the orange ball at the gunslinger.

Tifa knew, of course, Vincent wouldn't let himself get hit so easily, especially by a simple little ball. He had amazing reflexes, speed, strength and enhanced senses, she honestly wouldn't be surprised if he smacked the ball aside or indeed, had caught it; the barmaid was only curious to see what his reaction would be.

Her eyes widened suddenly, mouth agape at the sight.

The sound of deflating air was heard, Vincent had pierced and popped the poor ball with his claws. Like a grape to a raisin, the basketball shriveled into a barely recognizable, orange mess in his golden clawed hand.

Furrowing his brows, he let the orange _thing_ fall from his hand. A small noise of deflating air escaped the once-round item again as it hit the cold, hard floor. Tifa reached a hand up to her mouth, trying the best she could to hold in her laughter, but failed miserably. She was laughing so hard that her eyes started to water and she doubled over, hardly able to breathe.

Staring at the sad, orange item, which now had noticable holes in it, Vincent narrowed his eyes and approached the fighter. _'So... She wishes to play, does she?'_

Tifa let her laughter ceased, inhaling deeply in attempt to catch her breath and straighten herself. Her eyes caught the sight of the gunslinger walking towards her, an annoyed look was clearly visible in his piercing, ruby orbs. "I'm sorry, Vincent. I just couldn't help myself - you were just _standing_ there!"

"You found that amusing, do you? What if I were to have pulled out my gun instead?" He asked, trying to maintain his calm, serious tone, "you could have been shot."

She frowned and panicked, "I-I didn't... I mean, I never thought of it that way! Gosh, I'm really sorry, Vincent, I-" Tifa paused as she raised her eyebrows, noticing the man had turned away from her and his broad frame was shaking ever so slightly.

"Vincent Valentine!" Tifa slapped his shoulder, "Are you... Are you _laughing_!? Great Gaia, I really thought you were serious and angry there for a moment.."

Vincent's lips twitched upward as he cleared his throat. Who knew how long its been since he was able to act and feel this way - being able to tease someone and letting his barrier down - just ever so slightly.

He let out a low, deep chuckle, the expression on Tifa's face was priceless. "An arm for an arm, Miss Lockhart."

Tifa pouted and ignored his last comment. _'Okay, so maybe I deserved that..'_ she crossed her arms. Still, the barmaid was relieved he wasn't seriously angry or upset with her - pissing off someone like _Vincent Valentine _would be a sure way of getting yourself **shot**.

Scanning the room again, she turned her attention to the virtual arm-wrestling game that the gunslinger was staring at earlier. She bit her lower lip, wondering how she'll do after a year of not being able to train. Would she still win? The maiden still remembered beating this game countless of times when AVALANCHE was here in search of Sephiroth. It was the same night when Aerith had decided to drag Cloud out of his room, convincing him to go on a date with her. Tifa was upset when she saw them leave, she was hoping to spend some time with the blonde swordsman herself. Knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep then, Tifa decided to leave the Inn and visit 'Wonder Square' to play a few games, in hopes of blowing off some steam; that was when she ran into Vincent, who was wandering around. The gunslinger knew she was in a down mood. He had spotted Cloud and the Cetra leaving the Inn together and that is most likely the reason why she was upset. He offered to accompany her - though she was stunned, Tifa still accepted.

Vincent noticed she was eyeing the machine, "Are you... Going to give it a try?" He gestured to the virtual game that sat in front of them.

"I.. Want too.." She clenched her fists and stepped forward, facing the large screen, "But..."

Standing beside her now, he fold his arms over his chest. It will be interesting to see how she will do after a year without training. Then again, this was only a silly, virtual arm-wrestling game, he mused. Tifa is a strong, skilled fighter, without a doubt, he had seen her take out high level monsters without much problems before, she was definitely not one to be underestimated - this, of course, was until the whole situation with her and Cloud came along.

"If I recall correctly, the last time we were here, you had no problem beating this game.."

"Gosh, that was so long ago.." She mumbled, "But... It can't hurt to try, right?" Tifa cracked her knuckles and grinned.

The gunslinger nodded slightly, "Who will you choose?"

Two characters were offered in the game; there was a wrestler, who was the toughest, and a sumo. The maiden decided to go with the wrestler, feeling a little daring and wanting to challenge herself. The virtual image of a large, muscular wrestler soon appeared, holding up a sizable hand.

"Alright, I can do this.." Tifa whispered to herself as she leaned foward to grip the character's hand, positioning her arm in a similar manner to her opponent's.

Vincent raised his dark brows, "..Ready?"

"You bet!"

The letters on the screen then flashed: _GO!_

Tifa inhaled sharply and immediately began pushing downward on the wrestler's hand. She's beaten this game plenty of times, so it shouldn't be a problem for her, right?

Vincent noticed she was struggling. The wrestler was starting to overpower her and he could tell by her expression, Tifa wasn't enjoying the current situation one bit.

"N-.. NO!" She shouted in annoyance, gritting her teeth. The barmaid grew nervous, seeing how her hand was about an inch away from touching the surface, and loosing. Putting more energy into her arm, she forced her opponents arm back, slowly but surely.

"Focus, Tifa," Vincent offered from beside her, "You must not allow your emotions to cloud your mind."

"I..." Her eyes moved to the reflection on the screen, Vincent's ruby eyes were fixed on her, watching. He was right.

After years of training with Zangan, how could she have forgotten what he had taught her? Tifa let out a sigh in frustration before taking in another deep breath, calming herself down, letting the anger and anxiety melt away as she focused her attention back on the current arm-wrestling match. Tifa felt her arm was beginning to strain, it was visibly shaking now from her desperately trying to hold up her end, not wanting to be defeated by a foolish game.

She needed to do something quick.

_'Come on, Tifa.. You've done this before!' _She pushed harder,_ 'You got this!'_ Clenching her teeth, she managed to gather more of her strength before forcing the large, virtual arm down, pinning it flat.

"..." Vincent blinked, a little surprised at how much strength she was able to pull forward and pin down her opponent's arm in such a swift, fluid motion at the last second. She still had it in her, the real Tifa Lockhart is still there and she was slowly beginning to surface, much like how a lotus flower is able to rise from the dark, murky waters and bloom beautifully, remaining unsoiled.

"I won!" She shouted happily, rubbing her now sore, right arm and turning to face Vincent, "thanks.."

"There is no need to thank me, Tifa.." He spoke calmly.

"Of course I have to thank you," Tifa puched his arm softly, "You reminded me... The things I've learned during all those years of training... I can't believe I forgot."

He detected the sadness in her tone, "In time, everything will become clear... You've done well so far."

"Vincent.. And I mean it when I say thank you, for everything you've done so far in order to help me." The martial artist smiled, brushing aside the stray strands of hair from her delicate face.

He parted his lips to speak, "I-"

"Tifa!" Denzel came rushing towards the two, "I beat all the games! Look at all the gold points I got."

She chuckled softly and ruffled his hair, nodding as he showed her his points, "Good job, Denzel!"

He laughed until something strange had caught his attention, "What happened to _that_?" He pointed at the forgotten, deflated basketball that laid on the floor.

Tifa supressed a giggle, "Well... Let's just say there was a little _accident_."

Denzel looked at her curiously, but decided not to question about what _truly_ had happened to the deformed _thing_ sitting on the cold, hard ground. Turning to Vincent, Denzel gave the pale man a small smile before asking, "Did _you_ play any games...?"

"I..." Vincent glanced at the orange object from the corner of his eyes before focusing his attention back to the boy, "Yes."

* * *

><p>"Can we go to 'Round Square' next?" Denzel asked, smiling brightly at the fighter as he walked along side her while carrying a large, yellow chocobo plushie on his back.<p>

So far, things were moving along smoothly since they left 'Wonder Square' to visit the other attractions. They got to watch the chocobo race and saw a few decent battles at 'Battle Square'. After much begging and pleading, Tifa managed to convince Vincent to join them on the shooting coaster ride in 'Speed Square', which Vincent of course, scored the most points after shooting down nearly all of the targets.

After the ride, Vincent had decided to let the boy choose a prize for himself; the gunslinger had no interest in the silly points. The barmaid couldn't help but to smile, the fact that Denzel's eyes lit up with pure joy at the gunslinger's kind act, was just too adorable - she couldn't tell Vincent this, of course.

"Sure," she nodded, then turned towards the crimson-wrapped shadow behind them, which is Vincent, "How does that sound to you?"

"Gondola ride?"

"Yeah!" Denzel exclaimed excitedly, turning towards the pale man, "It'll be awesome - We'll get to see all the fireworks and everything."

Vincent gave a curt nod, "Very well. Lead the way and I will follow."

Denzel grinned before taking off, leaving Tifa and Vincent a good distance behind. The gunman seemed to be calm and content, while Tifa was fidgeting occasionally, uncomfortable at the awkward silence that stretched between them.

"Vincent?" Tifa started, "Why... Haven't you kept in contact with us after our fight against Deepground?"

After a short pause, he answered her question, "I wish not to disturb anyone."

"Oh, Vincent.. You know we're all friends! You are never a burden to us, if that's what your thinking. You do know we all care about you, right?" The barmaid frowned, "I have tried calling you a few times, but you only answered once - and it wasn't a very long conversation either. Are you truly doing well? Where have you been staying? What have you been up too for a year?"

Silence followed Tifa's question, causing her to heave a small sigh, shaking her head lightly. She knew she wasn't going to get much answers from the stoic gunslinger. Clasping her hands behind her back, she stared up at the sky and begun thinking deeply for a moment before speaking up again.

"You know.." She spoke softly, "I.. Really did missed you.. You must think i'm insane for saying that, but let me tell you something, Vincent Valentine," Tifa laughed nervously, a little embarrassed, "I'm serious."

"...Tifa.."

She stepped in front of Vincent, swiftly turning herself to face him - she managed to stop him dead in his tracks. The ex-Turk seemed to have been lost in his thoughts until his eyes caught her wine orbs, staring right back at him, "Stop it, Vincent. I know what your thinking right now... Don't put yourself down or think for even _one_ second that i'm being nice because I pity you - You should know me better than that by now! You really are a wonderful guy, alright?" She placed a hand on her hip and gave him a small, sweet smile.

"..."

"I... The time I saw you transformed into Chaos, during our last fight to save the planet again.. " Her lips slowly curved downward into a frown.

His body suddenly tensed, "Were... You afraid?"

"I was..." Her eyes averted his gaze, staring down at the space between their feet, "But, you know.."

Vincent eyed her face curiously.

"At that time, when you transformed... I asked myself which I was more afraid of: The powerful, frightening demon or possibly loosing you..." Her eyes returned to meet his, Tifa could see through in his eyes that he was curious and surprised by her words. Her face flushed, "Yes, I was afraid of Chaos... But... I was even more afraid of loosing you, Vincent."

"I..." The gunslinger was speechless as a strange, tingling feeling instantaneously crept its way to his chilled heart, warming him from the inside-out upon hearing those words. What is this? How is he supposed to respond to her - to this odd feeling?

Tifa shook her head, "I am sorry, Vincent.. I don't know what came over me. I-I just wanted to remind you, that you're our friend and you are never a burden to us - to _me_.. Please try to call or visit more often. We-.. I... Worry about you."

"Hey!" Denzel shouted from up ahead, waving his arm.

Tifa turned to look over her shoulder, waving back to him, "Alright, we're coming!" She laughed.

Slowly, Vincent reached out his gloved hand towards the martial artist, "Tifa..."

"Hurry up, slow pokes!" The boy yelled out again, "Or we'll miss the ride!"

He immediately pulled his hand away, right before she turned around to face him. "Did you say something, Vincent?"

"No... Its nothing.. Shall we go now?"

Tifa stared at him with a raised brow; she could have sworn she heard him say something, but decided to let it pass since Denzel was waiting for them - impatiently. Giving him a curt nod, Tifa turned and walked towards the boy as Vincent followed in silence.

_'What am I doing?'_ Vincent questioned himself.

* * *

><p>Returning to the Ghost hotel, Denzel was protesting about going to bed, although it was obvious to the two adults that his constant yawning and heavy eyelids indicated he was indeed, tired. Vincent leaned against the wall and watched as Tifa tucked the boy in; he fell asleep almost instantly with a small visible smile on his face.<p>

Turning to the gunslinger, she urged him to step outside the room with her, as to not disturb Denzel while he is sound asleep. Closing the door softly behind her, she spoke, "Vincent-"

"Tifa," He interuppted, "I wanted.. To apologize..."

"Apologize? For what?"

"...For not keeping in contact, and... Not visiting you, Tifa.. I... Did not think you would worry, let alone _care_ about me so much.."

She smiled and fold her arms in front of her chest, mimicking him as she leaned back against the door, "I'm glad I finally got you to understand that, Mr Valentine. Is there anything _else_ you would like to tell me?" She asked in a teasing manner, hoping for him to answer the questions she had asked previously, before they went on the Gondola ride.

"I... Have been staying back at the mansion," He turned his head to the side, "I rearranged, cleaned and did some repairs to the place - also getting rid of many things that Shinra had left behind," his lips twitched, "I sleep inside an actual bedroom now, you need not to worry about me returning to the coffin."

"...The memories.." She murmured, "Inside the mansion, does it still bother you?"

"...Sometimes." He answered honestly.

Tifa looked at him with concern in her eyes, "Vincent... You know you're always welcomed to stay at the bar... I enjoy having you around."

Hesistantly, the gunslinger extended a hand towards her again, unsure and stunned by even his own actions, "Tifa... What you said back there, about Chaos... About being afraid to loose me.."

Staring at his outstretched hand, she nodded and walked up to him, wrapping her cream-colored slender arms around his lithe body. Tifa hugged him tightly, "It's true... After I learned Rosso had _literally_ ripped the Proto-Materia from your chest, and you started having difficulty controlling Chaos afterwards.. It really made me worried... But, your fine now, right?" She laughed softly, feeling the heat rising to her face as she rested the side of her head against his chest.

His body stiffened.

Vincent's mind was racing; questioning himself whether he should push her away, or to pull her into a much tighter hug, hoping for the warmth he felt at this very moment, to never fade. Steadily, Vincent wrapped his extended arm over her shoulders, returning the hug - somewhat.

_'Do I.. Deserve any of this?'_

"Vincent..?"

The gunslinger's body relaxed slightly, "Yes, I am fine now... Let us enjoy our time here at Gold Saucer, then, we will focus on your current situation back home and get you started on training."

She sighed softly, "What am I going to say to Cloud when I see him again? What if he chooses to ignore me?"

_'That fool...'_ Vincent gripped her shoulder firmly, "Tell me, Tifa.. Do you... Still love him, even now? What do you desire most? What do you think is best for yourself?"

"N-no.. I... I think..." Her words trailed off as she loosened her hold around him, mulling over his questions.

"...Those are questions, you must seek the answers too from within.." Vincent pulled away from the barmaid, turning and walking down the hall, "Goodnight, Tifa. I shall see you in the morning." He headed towards his room.

"...Goodnight, Vincent.." She whispered, observing the pale man as he disappear behind a door.

_'Do I.. Still love Cloud? What is best for me?'_

Shaking her head, the martial artist returned to her room, deciding to call it a night, though, she most likely wont fall asleep any time soon. _'Why am I acting this way? I don't know how I feel about Cloud anymore.. And Vincent? I... How DO I feel about Vincent? We are only. . .'_

"**Friends**..." Vincent huffed, shutting and locking the door behind him. The ex-Turk leaned his back against the door, heaving a heavy sigh as he slid down onto the floor, covering his pale face with his gloved hand. "Why...?"

The moment she hugged him, he felt his heart had leapped up into his throat. His sharp, enhanced senses took in her soft, feminine scent as he let himself indulge in the warmth of her slim body being so close to his. It's been a while since he felt this way, could he learn to love again? Could _she_ ever love someone like him?

The obnoxious, ringing noise of his PHS reached his acute ears, disturbing him from his deep thoughts. Reaching into his pocket and pulling out the device, he flipped the phone opened and answered curtly, "What?" Vincent was anything, but in a good mood right now.

_"...Vincent?"_ Came an all too familar male voice on the other line.

For some strange reason, the gunslinger had a sudden urge to crush the device in his clawed hand, wishing dearly it was the throat of -

"...Cloud."

* * *

><p><span><strong>10-27-2014<strong>

_**A/N: Hello again, lovely readers~ Sorry this story is kinda moving along slowly.. I didn't want to rush Vincent & Tifa into a relationship right away.. Both are struggling with their feelings, so only time will tell.. This is about as 'fluffy' as it'll get for now. In the next chapter, Vincent and Cloud will meet - Tifa will also get her chance to talk to the chocobo-head, himself & sort out her feelings! The situation with the two remaining remnants will also be revealed. Please comment/review, thank you to those who HAVE been reviewing! You guys are amazing. It really does keep me motivated and updating this story.**_

_**With the Chaos one-shot: I will start working on that asap, so it will probably be a while until I update this story (or my other stories) again - I'll keep writing as long as your reviewing & reading! I MIGHT make the one-shot a Lemon (mostly between Tifa & Vincent, of course), so please beware. Let me know what you think, hm?**_

_**I'll also like to let my readers know, that I will be pretty busy the next few months (school, moving, work, etc.), so I apologize if your impatient & I can't update sooner lol.. I wanted to get this chapter up before Halloween. Hope all of you are doing well, Thank you for reading!**_

_**~Hypnotized By Fate **_


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